moulton



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOI-IN F. I-IEMlEL; OF GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR VOF ONE-HALF TOSWAN J. TURNVALL, OF SAME PLACE.

THILL-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 502,491, dated August1, 1893.

Application filed January 28, 1893. Serial No. 460.142. (No model.)

To a/ZZ whom t may concern.-

Bc it known that I, JOHN F. HEMPEL, a citizen of the United States,residing at Grand Rapids, in the county of Kent and State of Michigan,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Thill-Couplings;and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exactdescription of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in theart to which it appertainsto make and use the same.

This invention has relation to that class of thill-couplings in whicht-hethill-iron has a hook at its end received by an opening in, andengaging the end of the other member of the coupling and is itselfengaged by a spring projecting from said other member; and the Object ofmy invention is to so change the details of construction ofthill-couplings of this class as to simplifythe construction, cheapenthe cost of production, obviate the necessity of employing a clip ofspecial construction, and to make the spring quickly and easilyremovable when necessary or desirable. This object is accomplished bythe construction illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which-Figure l is a side elevation; and Fig. *2 a plan view in service of adevice embodying my invention.

Like letters refer to like parts in both of the figures.

A represents a portion of the forward axle of a vehicle; B a portion ofone of the thills.

C is a clip of the ordinary construction embracing the axle; and D a barwhich engages the limbs of the clip and is held in contact with theunder side of the axle by nuts, c, c', on the ends of said limbs. Saidbar is ex tended forward and terminates in a suitable rectangular eye Eto receive an .inverted U shaped hook F in the strap F, which strap issecured to the thill B, with said hook F abutting against the endthereof. The rear end of said hook F is also extended -at right anglesat F to engage the free end of a spring G, which spring extends rearwardbeneath the axle, and is turned upward in a semi-circular loop, and issecured by the nut c', on a limb of clip C, which limb passes throughsaid spring near its rear end, and said nut binds it against the bar D.The spring G thus counterbalances the thill B, by pressing down upon theextension F, the forward side of the eye E serving as a fulcrum. Thecoupling is also by the pressure of said spring prevented from rattling,and by the described construction I am able to quickly detach the thillswithout the necessity of removing bolts or pins, or using tools, bysimply elevating the thills sufficient-ly to detach the spring G fromthe extension F ,then lowering the thills again and lifting the hook Fin the eye E, and lastly turning the thills toward the vertical positionuntil the extension F" can be passed through said eye. The thills areagain attached by reversing the operation. I also have materiallyreduced the cost of construction of thill-couplings of the class towhich this belongs, and made it possible to quickly and cheaply replaceany of its parts in the event of breakage thereof.

If it is desired to remove the spring it can be accomplished withoutdisturbing the other parts simply by removing the nut, c', and slippingthe end of the spring from olf the end of the limb of the clip. The baralso may be removed and disengaged from the clip by first removing thenuts, c and c', then slippin g it oif the limbs of the clip and finallyturning it at an inclination to the hook, F, and Working it oif thesame. When the spring is removed the device will operate as a detachablethill-coupling without the anti-rattler feature, as the extension, F, isso located with respect to the eye, E, as to engage the under sidethereof and thereby prevent accidental detachment when in use.

What I claim is- The herein-described thill-coupling, consisting of theordinary clip, designed to partially encircle the axle of the vehicleabar, designed to engage the ends of the limbs of said clip andprojecting forward beyond said clip, said bar having an opening in itssaid projecting end; a st-rap, designed to be secured to the thill andhaving at its rear end an inverted U-shaped hook engaging the forwardend of said bar, the inner member of said hook extending through theopening in said bar and being formed with a rearward extension a loopspring, having in its rear end an opening through which a limb of theclip pro- IOO In testimony whereof I aflx my signature in presence oftwo witnesses.

Jol-1N F. HEMPEL.

Vitnesses:

LUTHER V. MOULTONL LoIs MoULToN.

